Hawaiʻi Land Trust Offers workforce opportunities for wildfire-affected residents

Hawaiʻi Land Trust, a 501(c)3 statewide nonprofit organization that protects, stewards, and connects people to the lands that sustain Hawaiʻi, has received a more than $1.1 million grant from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund to create temporary workforce opportunities, in partnership with KUPU, for 48 Maui residents who have been affected by the recent wildfires.

HILT is encouraging Maui residents to apply for 6-month positions with work beginning Dec. 4, 2023, to engage in various land stewardship and conservation activities at HILT’s 277-acre Waiheʻe Coastal Dunes & Wetlands Refuge in Waiheʻe, its 82-acre Nuʻu Refuge in Kaupō, and its 4.5-acre Veterans Peace Park in Wailuku. Most positions do not require previous experience.

“We are focusing this workforce development effort on those individuals who lived and worked in Lahaina and are out of work due to the wildfires,” said ʻOlu Campbell, President and CEO of HILT. “We recognize there is a spectrum of needs to be addressed, employment being one of them. We are grateful to be able to provide meaningful opportunities that will empower families to support themselves financially through this tough time, while gaining valuable green workforce experience, and improving the wellbeing of our ʻāina.”

In 2020, under a smiliar 6-week program during the COVID-19 pandemic, HILT provided temporary work for 42 Maui residents with funding from the Federal CARES Act.

“Kupu is exited to partner with our friends at HILT and provide paid positions doing critical conservation work on Maui,” said Kupu CEO and cofounder John Leong. “In addition to the temporary relief this provides, we hope these opportunities lead to lasting positive change for ʻāina and those who choose to make conservation their calling.”

To apply visit https://www.hilt.org/careers and submit your application no later than Nov. 17, 2023.